Jerseys Having Releasable Seams

ABSTRACT

American football jerseys designed to enhance a player&#39;s safety are disclosed herein. Preferred jerseys are designed to prevent injuries caused from “horse-collar” tackles and have one or more releasable seams that begin in the collar.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments herein relate to sport jerseys designed for AmericanFootball having one or more releasable seams that begin in the collararea of the jersey and traverses downward to the torso area.

BACKGROUND

Under the National Football League (NFL), the Canadian Football League(CFL), and NCAA football rules, it is illegal for a player to“horse-collar tackle” another player. One particular type of“horse-collar tackle” is when a player grabs the collar of anotherplayer's jersey to bring him down. This type of tackle has been shown tobe dangerous as it often traps one or both of the tackled player's legsunder their own body weight as they fall down.

Most positions of players are horse-collar tackled from the back andthese include running back, tail backs, wide receivers, and tight ends,for example. There are also instances when a player is horse-collartackled from the front of the jersey, as can be the case with aquarterback in the pocket.

While “horse-collar” tackling will result in a penalty against theinfringing team, there has been no recent changes to the footballuniform to help prevent or alleviate the potential injuries to a playerwho is still either intentionally or inadvertently tackled this way.

Decades ago, “tear-away” jerseys made of very thin cotton were developedto make players harder to tackle, not for protecting the tackled player.When a player grabbed and pulled a “tear-away” jersey, the jersey wouldrip and tear randomly, and not along defined, releasable, seams. Theproblem with this jersey is that when grabbed with force it wouldcompletely tear; thereby ruining the jersey for future use, and makingit look shabby. This design was wasteful and players would need to go tothe sideline to obtain a new jersey if their jersey was destroyed duringa game. This obviously delayed the game, and the tear-away jerseys werebanned from the game.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide new and improvedjerseys to alleviate or prevent injuries from “horse-collar” tackles,while allowing other parts of the jersey to be grabbed as part of atackle. More specifically, new jerseys are needed that can be re-worn,and whose structural integrity is not damaged when grabbed with force.Additionally, there is a need to provide a safer and improved jerseydepending on the position the player plays.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments are directed to an American football jersey havinga top, bottom, frontside, and backside and comprising a main body oftear-resistant fabric configured to be worn around the torso of aplayer; a collar positioned on the top of the main body of fabric; and afirst seam having means for releasably sealing itself, that begins inthe collar area and traverses down the main body of the jersey.

According to preferred embodiments, the first seam does not traverse theentire length of the main body. Even more specifically, the first seamcan be shorter than the mid-length point on the main body of fabric.

Further embodiments include jerseys comprising a second seam havingmeans for releasably sealing itself, and that begins in the collar areaand traverses down the main body of the jersey. Preferably, the meansfor releasably sealing the first and second seam comprise hook and loopfasteners.

Advantageous embodiments include jerseys where the first and secondseams are positioned on the backside or the frontside of the jersey.More specifically, the first and second seams can define sides of adownward folding flap having an upper side that constitutes part of thecollar area. It is also preferred that the first and second seamsdiverge away from each other as they traverse down the main body of thejersey.

Alternative embodiments also include jerseys wherein the first andsecond seams are positioned on the frontside of the jersey and thebackside comprises a third seam having means for releasably sealingitself, that begins in the collar area and traverses down the main bodyof the jersey.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

It will be appreciated that the drawings are not necessarily to scale,with emphasis instead being placed on illustrating the various aspectsand features of embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective back view of a preferred jersey with the seamsclosed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective back view of a preferred jersey with the seamsopened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective front view of an alternative jersey with theseams closed.

FIG. 4 is a perspective front view of an alternative jersey with theseams opened.

FIG. 5 is a perspective back view of an alternative jersey with a closedseam.

FIG. 6 is a perspective back view of an alternative jersey with an openseam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are described below with referenceto the above-described Figures. It is, however, expressly noted that thepresent invention is not limited to the embodiments depicted in theFigures, but rather the intention is that modifications that areapparent to the person skilled in the art and equivalents thereof arealso included.

Preferred embodiments are directed to a jersey configured to be worn onthe upper body by a football player. In general a jersey can preferablyinclude a collar, a front and back torso-covering portion, and sleevesfor the arms. Current shapes and materials of jerseys in current use inthe NFL and the NCAA can be used with the improvements provided below.

First Embodiment

According to an advantageous first embodiment, non-exclusively designedfor players who are commonly tackled from behind (e.g., running backs,tail backs, wide receivers, and tight ends), the frontside of the jerseydoes not include any releasable seams, and the backside of the jersey 2includes first and second releasable seams 10 and 12 that begin in thecollar area 7 and traverse down the backside 4 of the jersey 2. Thefirst and second releasable seams 10 and 12 define sides of a flap 8configured to fold downward when grabbed and pulled. The upper side 6 ofthe flap 8 preferably defines part of the collar area 7 when the flap 8is in a closed position (FIG. 1), and thus leaves an opening in thecollar area 7 when the flap 8 is folded downward in the open position(FIG. 2). The width of the flap's 8 upper side 6 is preferably, but notexclusively, more than 4 inches and is less than 18 inches, depending onmany factors, including the size of the player, for example.

The flap 8 is configured such that it will fold downward when the uppersection 6 that defines part of the collar 7, or another portion of theflap 8, is grabbed with force. Additionally it is advantageous if theshoulder area of the jersey 2 detaches from the flap 8 when a section ofthe collar 7, besides the upper side 6 of the flap 8, is grabbed andpulled from the side. Accordingly, a pull on the collar area 7 or 6 willcause one or both of the releasable seams 10 and 12 to open up, withoutcausing a sudden jolt to the player wearing the jersey 2. This in turnwill prevent or at least lessen the chances that a player will beinjured from a “horse-collar” tackle.

The first and second releasable seams 10 and 12 can include any suitablemeans for releasable fastening such that they can be readily opened andclosed. Preferably the first seam 10 comprises means for releasablefastening 18 on the inner side of the flap 8 that are configured tofasten with complementary means for releasable fastening 20 on the outerside of the back 4 of the jersey 2. Likewise it is preferred that thesecond seam 12 comprises means for releasable fastening 14 on the innerside of the flap 8 that are configured to fasten with complementarymeans for releasable fastening 16 on the outer side of the back 4 of thejersey 2. One preferred means for releasably fastening that can be usedwith the seams 10 and 12 include complementary hook and loop fasteners,such as those sold under the trademark VELCRO®. Accordingly, the meansfor fastening 18 and 14 on the inner side of the flap 8 can include astrip of hook fasteners while the complementary means for fastening 20and 16 on the outside of the back 4 of the jersey 2 can include a stripof loop fasteners, or vice versa.

Hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO®, are preferred because itallows a player to quickly close their opened seams 10 and 12 before thenext play. As the play clock for most collegiate and NFL games iscurrently 40 seconds, there is not a lot of time for a player to get upafter being tackled, return to the huddle and/or line up and reseal openseams 10 and 12. Although not preferred because they will most likely beslower to close, other means for releasably opening and closing theseams 10 and 12 can be used instead of hook and loop fasteners,including complementary snaps, for example.

Preferably the seams 10 and 12 begin in the collar area 7 of the jersey2 and diverge down the backside 4 of the jersey 2. In alternative,non-preferred embodiments, the seams 10 and 12 can traverse straightdownward from the collar 7, or converge towards each other also. Whilenot shown, the topside 6 of the flap 8 can define the entire backside ofthe collar 7, half of the entire collar area 7, in addition to portionsthereof. The releasable seams 10 and 12 are preferably about 8, 10, 12,14, or 16 inches in length, but can be longer or shorter depending onmany factors, including the size of the player, for example. As thejerseys herein are not intended to be used as a reversible jersey,allowing a wearer to alternate between dominant colors, it is highlypreferred that the seams 10 and 12 do not traverse the entire length ofthe jersey 2. According to non-preferred embodiments, the seams 10 and12 can transverse the entire length of the jersey 2. In otherembodiments, the seams 10 and 12 traverse downward to the middle of thejersey 2, or are shorter than the middle of the jersey 2.

Second Embodiment

While the above-described first embodiment is directed to a jersey 2having two releasable seams 10 and 12 on the backside 4 and noreleasable seams on the frontside, a second preferred embodiment iscontemplated for players who are likely to get tackled from the front oftheir jersey, such as a quarterback in the pocket. The second embodimentof jersey 2 a, and as depicted in FIGS. 3-6, includes two releasableseams 10 a and 12 a positioned on the frontside 5 a of the jersey 2 a.It is expressly noted that the above detailed description,non-exclusively including the positioning, length, means for releasablyfastening, and different embodiments of releasable seams 10 and 12 onthe backside 4 of the first embodiment jersey 2 is also applicable tothe frontside 5 a of a second embodiment jersey 2 a.

More specifically, it is preferred that the second embodiment jersey 2 aincludes first and second releasable seams 10 a and 12 a that begin inthe collar area 7 a and traverse down the frontside 5 a of the jersey 2a. The first and second releasable seams 10 a and 12 a define sides of aflap 8 a configured to fold downward when grabbed with force. The upperside 6 a of the flap 8 a preferably defines part of the collar area 7 awhen the flap 8 a is in a closed position (FIG. 3), and thus leaves anopening in the collar area 7 a when the flap 8 a is folded downward inthe open position (FIG. 4).

The second embodiment of jersey 2 a also preferably includes a singlereleasable seam 22 a on the backside 4 a of the jersey 2 a, as shown inFIG. 5. The releasable seam 22 a preferably starts in the collar area 7a, more preferably in or near the middle of the back collar 7 a andtraverses straight, or approximately straight, down the backside 4 a ofthe jersey 2 a. In alternative, non-preferred embodiments, the seam 22 acan slant downward at an angle. The single releasable seam 22 a ispreferably about 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16 inches in length, but can belonger or shorter depending on many factors, including the size of theplayer, for example. It is highly preferred that the seam 22 a does nottraverse the entire length of the jersey 2 a. In other embodiments, theseam 22 a traverses downward to mid-length of the jersey 2 a, or shorterthan mid-length of the jersey 2 a.

As shown in FIG. 6, the single releasable seam 22 a defines a first andsecond flap 24 a and 26 a when opened. Preferably, the first flap 24 aincludes a first means for releasably fastening 28 a that iscomplementary to the second means for releasably fastening 30 apositioned on the second flap 26 a. More specifically it is preferredthat the first means for releasably fastening 28 a is positioned on theinner side of the first flap 24 a and the second means for releasablyfastening 30 a is positioned on the outer side to the second flap 26 a,or vice versa. Preferred means for releasably fastening include thosediscussed above including hook and look fasteners, such as those soldunder the trademark VELCRO®.

As a main objective of the teachings herein is to maintain thestructural integrity of the jerseys after they are grabbed with force,such as by an NFL linebacker, preferred jerseys are made of strong andtear-resistant fabric. More specifically, preferred jerseys can be madeof thick polyester, such as the polyester sold under the registeredtrademark PRO-BRITE. Other synthetic and natural fabrics suitable forAmerican football jerseys, that are not susceptible to tearing whengrabbed and pulled, can also be used for making the jerseys herein. Thecollared area of the jerseys herein can be made of the same materialsdescribed above, including spandex, such as lycratalic spandex, forexample. It is additionally preferred that the releasable seams and thebottom side of the flaps described herein can be double-stitched, orotherwise reinforced to prevent tearing.

It is expressly contemplated that the frontsides and backsides of thejerseys provided herein can include any combination of theabove-described releasable seams. These include jerseys having any ofthe following variations: only two releasable seams on the backside andno releasable seams on the frontside, only two releasable seams on thefrontside and no releasable seams on the backside, two releasable seamson the frontside and two releasable seams on the backside, tworeleasable seams on the frontside and one releasable seam on thebackside, two releasable seams on the backside and one releasable seamon the frontside, only one releasable seam on the frontside and noreleasable seams on the backside, only one releasable seam in thebackside and no releasable seams on the frontside, and one releasableseam on the backside and one releasable seam on the frontside.

In addition to being designed for offensive players, the jerseys hereincan also be worn by defensive and special teams players as they are alsosusceptible to being tackled if they intercept, recover a fumbled ball,return a kickoff, or recover an onside kick, for example.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms besides and beyondthose described herein. The foregoing embodiments are therefore to beconsidered in all respects illustrative rather than limiting, and thescope of the invention is defined and limited only by the appendedclaims and their equivalents, rather than by the foregoing description.

1. An American football jersey having a top, bottom, frontside, andbackside and comprising: a main body of tear-resistant fabric configuredto be worn around the torso of a player; a collar area positioned on thetop of the main body of fabric; and a first seam having means forreleasably sealing itself that begins in the collar area and traversesdown the main body of fabric.
 2. The jersey of claim 1, wherein thefirst seam does not traverse the entire length of the main body offabric.
 3. The jersey of claim 2, wherein the first seam is shorter thanthe mid-length point on the main body of fabric.
 4. The jersey of claim1, wherein the means for releasably sealing the first seam comprise hookand loop fasteners.
 5. The jersey of claim 1, further comprising asecond seam having means for releasably sealing itself and that beginsin the collar area and traverses down the main body of fabric.
 6. Thejersey of claim 5, wherein the means for releasably sealing the firstand second seams comprise hook and loop fasteners.
 7. The jersey ofclaim 5, wherein the first and second seams are positioned on thebackside of the jersey.
 8. The jersey of claim 5, wherein the first andsecond seams are positioned on the frontside of the jersey.
 9. Thejersey of claim 8, wherein the backside of the jersey comprises a thirdseam having means for releasably sealing itself, that begins in thecollar area and traverses down the main body of fabric.
 10. The jerseyof claim 5, wherein the first and second seams diverge away from eachother as they traverse down the main body of fabric.
 11. The jersey ofclaim 5, wherein the first and second seams traverse the same distancedown the main body of fabric.